First, the National Atheist Party is something worth checking out, and they are creating state chapters for each state. I spent time reading over what they're about, and I definitely think it's worth a look. In the current political climate we live in, we should formally band together to help protect our rights.

The second thing is a new blog/discussion area specifically targeted towards Southern atheists and topics meaningful to us. It's called Atheism, Y'all, and is worth a look as well.

Ello everyone! I'm from Charlotte NC (well, close enough) and am wondering if anyone there is planning on heading to the Reason Rally? If so, do you have room for two more in your car? We're small, friendly people and it would be much appreciated! [:

I hear ya' mate. I'm just across the Texas border in Wise County, a county in which the populace majority appears to be anything but "wise". The local paper, Wise County Messenger, publishes most of my letters from the liberal and non-believer side and it's soooo much fun to poke the local Republican'T majority in the ass. How does one make a Republican'T? Simple, take an ordinary Republican and add some Tea. One may see my words @ www.wcmessenger.com under "Letters to the Editor" and look for my name.

Another example of what happens in the bible belt. The local goverments think they have the right to push their religion.

Glad the FFRF got them

WHITEVILLE, TN (abc24.com) - They're fired up and sounding off. The Freedom from Religion Foundation struck a nerve in Whiteville, Tennessee when it began a campaign to remove a cross from the town's water tower.

That issue was settled, but it sparked another effort among residents offended that out-of-towners butted in on their religious expression.

What was seen as an attack on Christianity got Whiteville residents like Roger Alston riled up.

“Most people felt like if they didn't want to look up and see one, they'll see them everywhere they look,” Alston tells abc24.com.

Alston is behind the movement in Whiteville to saturate the town with crosses.

“I've made about 150 so far,” Alston says.

Now, he has about 30 left. When the Freedom from Religion Foundation pressured the town of Whiteville to remove the cross on its water tower, frustration among locals like Inis Houseman ran deep.

“They don't like the cross, don't look at it," she says matter-of-factly. "They don't like the cross move. That cross has been there, I don't know how many years."

“It's very disturbing, very disturbing,” Brannan Lewis says describing the pressure to remove the cross.

He compared it to efforts that eventually took prayer out of public schools.

“Look at what happened to our schools," he says, "and all the violence and all the gang related activity you have in the school now."

While the vast majority of people in Whiteville say the city has every right to have the cross on its water tower, we spoke with a few people who say it doesn't really matter to them. We didn't find anyone who thought the cross should be taken down.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation says complaints from a Whiteville resident prompted the group to get involved. The mayor doesn't buy it.

“She's got her spies here (referring to the organization’s Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor) and that's the unfortunate part about it," Mayor James Bellar tells abc24.com. "I don't think any of them live in the corporate limits of Whiteville, Tennessee."

Bellar spent nearly $4,000 to remove one arm of the cross to avoid a lawsuit. The Freedom From Religion Foundation says if the town restores the full, Latin cross, it will meet the mayor in court.

If the picture I've seen of the, what, bullet-proof or bad spirit-proof undies are the real thing, just getting out of them would allow time for their conscience to intervene and keep them from being "bad". It has always been my opinion that things some people have listed in the "Conscience" column actually belong in the "Cold Feet" column. I wonder if they realize that under those Mormon undies they're all naked just like the rest of us?

Ha! Indeed, I'm trapped in a Perry Paradise of jesse's crap freaks. I've had the experience of flying through Salt Lake City several times headed to Anchorage, Alaska and I can feel the weirdness leaching through the alloy skin of the MD-80 in which I was riding. That airport is assembly central for those bicycle-peddling freaks in dark suit and tie to head out into the world and spread their hip-deep BS. If I had, for some unimaginable reason, to move there for a job, I'd become a beach-bun in Florida before I'd allow that to happen. And think of it, two of the repugnican presidential candidates are Mormon freak-a-zoids; wonder if they wear their special underwear, LOL! If one of them should actually be elected, I'd go jump into the ocean and swim away of that was the only avenue left to me to depart this religion-infested nation.